Former Net Chris Childs hit an acrobatic layup with 6.3 seconds
left in overtime after Allan Houston hit the tying three-pointer
in the final seconds of regulation, lifting the New York Knicks
to an 89-88 victory over New Jersey.

Guarded by Sam Cassell at the top of the key, Childs drove
straight into the lane, did a 360-degree spin to his left at the
foul line, then scooped the ball in under Nets' center Jayson
Williams, who darted across the lane in an attempt to stop him.

"They were dancing on our court (earlier), and that didn't sit
too well with any of us," Childs said. "I hadn't played
particularly well, so there wasn't a better time to make
something happen. I know I missed six or seven straight shots,
so it was in the back of my mind."

Houston hit a 26-footer over Kendall Gill with 7.7 seconds to go
in the fourth quarter and scored New York's other five points in
overtime to spoil a career-high 34-point effort by Cassell.

"Those two three-pointers (Houston's) were very big shots," said
Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy. "Courage is one thing, to take to
take it. But very few people make big shots. He took them with
great confidence."

The game-winner was the first bucket since late in the first
quarter for Childs, who finished with six points. Larry Johnson
had 24 points before fouling out midway through the overtime and
Houston added 16. Charlie Ward added 11 as the Knicks avoided
falling behind New Jersey in the Atlantic Division standings.

The Knicks held the Nets scoreless for the remainder of
regulation after Jayson Williams dunked with 3:34 to go, making
it 82-77. Buck Williams hit a basket to pull New York within
three points 17 seconds later before Houston forged the tie. The
Nets made a mere 11 shots through the second half and overtime.

New York, which has been in search of a go-to player in the
final minutes since Patrick Ewing went down for the season, may
have found one in Houston, who had a key bucket down the stretch
in Saturday's win over the Magic.

The Knicks improved to 4-3 without Ewing and broke a three-game
losing streak against the Nets, who beat New York at the
Continental Airlines Arena on Friday, 103-98.

New York led 28-24 after one period and took a 41-35 edge after
Charles Oakley's basket with 5:09 to go, but the Nets turned the
game around with a 20-0 run. Gill scored six points, Cassell
had five and rookie Keith Van Horn added five in the lengthy
burst, which Cassell capped from behind the arc with 2:05
remaining to give New Jersey a 55-41 cushion.

"We're not guys who usually stop playing," Houston said. "We
were in a daze. There were enough things that we did notice. We
knew we had to come out with some kind of pride."

Van Horn, who torched the Knicks for 29 points on Friday, was
held to just 12 on 4-of-14 shooting for New Jersey, which hit
just 31 percent (27-of-86) of its shots and was outrebounded,
57-50.

A free throw by John Starks, who played only 17 minutes due to a
leg injury, pulled the Knicks to within 55-42 at the break.

Johnson's fast-break lay-in with 9:56 to go in the third quarter
snapped a seven-minute scoring drought for New York, which
closed within 60-54 on a fast-break dunk by Chris Mills with
5:03 to go. The Nets countered with a 10-5 run and went on to
take a 73-63 lead after three.

Johnson, who hit 9-of-19 shots from the field and grabbed 10
rebounds, hit a bucket with 7:06 left to slice the margin to
76-74. Sherman Douglas converted a driving layup and Cassell
sank two free throws to boost the Nets' lead back to six points.

But it was nearly all New York from there in regulation, as
Johnson drained a three-pointer to halve the deficit before the
Knicks forced the tie by scoring five of the next seven points.

The Knicks hit just 41 percent (35-of-86) of their shots and
committed 19 turnovers, but stepped it up defensively when
necessary, limiting New Jersey to 15 points over the fourth
quarter and overtime.

Jayson Williams, who took just two shots from the field and was
held to nine points, gave the Nets the initial lead in overtime
on a free throw 42 seconds in. Houston put New York ahead by
one when he lured Gill up top before slicing to the hoop with
2:38 to play. Cassell gave the Nets what was the biggest lead
in the extra period with four straight points before Houston
nailed another three-pointer with 1:19 to play.

Cassell was fouled and hit 1-of-2 free throws with 48 seconds to
play before the Knicks missed two shots and grabbed two
offensive rebounds on their final possession, leading to Childs'
one-on-one effort to win the game.

"I would like some help (with the scoring load late in the
game)," Cassell said. "I don't mind giving the ball up. I'd
like someone to take the pressure off me. I don't want it every
night. Michael Jordan don't want it every night."

Cassell put up a last-second leaner for the Nets, but his shot
was blocked by Childs and Houston, who hammered Cassell's left
shoulder and left him writhing on the Madison Square Garden
floor as the buzzer sounded.

"It was a good no-call if you ask me," Houston said of the final
play. "He's great at drawing fouls. There were a lot of times
in the fourth quarter he made it happen. He made the play."